Undergarment



Aug. 31, 1954 RUTLEDGE 2,687,525

UNDERGARMENT Filed Oct. 28, 1952 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Aug. 31, 1954 UNDERGARMENT George E. Rutledge, Chicago, 111., assignor to Munsingwear, Ina, notation of Delaware Minneapolis, Minn., a cor- Application October 28, 1952, Serial No. 317,275

8 Claims.

This invention relates, generally, to undergarments and it has particular relation to the manufacture and fabrication thereof. More particularly the invention relates to womens panty girdles arranged to be worn with or without stockings.

Among the objects of this invention are: To provide a womens body moulding undergarment which will conform to the body in any position and will permit the body to flex freely to any position; to provide such an undergarment which will be form-fitting and comfortable and have a long life; to form the undergarment principally from one piece front and rear panels joined together along their sides and at one end; to form each panel by flat knitting the abdominal engaging portion and including an elastic laying-in thread and the crotch portion without the layingin thread; and to have the fabric of the panels stretchable readily in all directions with the crotch portion more readily stretchable than the abdominal engaging portion.

Other objects of this invention will, in part, be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.

This invention is disclosed in the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing and it comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, arrangement of parts, and steps of manufacture which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of this invention, reference can be had to the following detailed description, taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan View of a knitted blank that is knit in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 shows the next step in the processing of the blank shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the front and rear panels formed from blanks shown in Figures 1 and 2 and joined together along one end;

Figure 4 shows the next step in the manufacture where the front and rear panels shown in Figure 3 have leg bands seamed thereto;

Figure 5 is a View, in front elevation, of the finished garment as applied to the female body and shows how it closely fits over the surface thereof to mould the same;

Figure 6 is a view, in side elevation, of Figure 5; and

Figure '7 is a view, in rear elevation, of Figure 5 and shows further how the garment of the present invention closely fits over the body.

" directions with the minor Referring now to Figure l of the drawing, it will be observed that the reference character in designates a knitted blank which is typical of the blanks used for the garment of the present invention. The blank ill is knitted on a flat knitting machine and has its minor upper portion ll rib knit with an elastic laying-in thread to provide waist line circumferential control in the finished garment. The minor upper portion Ii may be knitted of suitable thread such as nylon and the elastic laying-in thread may comprise a rubber core covered With nylon or cotton. The minor upper portion H is centrally creased as indicated at i2 so that it may be folded over in order to provide additional waist line control.

The major central portion I3 of the blank 10 is half cardigan knit preferably with nylon on the outside and cotton on the inside and havin the elastic laying-in thread continued therein. The minor lower portion [4 of the blank ID is rib knit but without the elastic laying-in thread. Preferably it is formed of cotton.

The blank H3 is formed, as indicated, on a fiat knitting machine as a continuous process so as to provide a single piece without requiring that the p r ion l I3, and M be joined together by seaming. Selvages is are provided along the edges of the blank ID.

In Figure 2 there is illustrated, generally, at is a front panel which has been made from the blank that is knitted as previously described and shown at is in Figure 1. The sides is of the minor lower portion are out generally on a bias, preferably with a slightly concave curvature, so as to provide a tapered end portion 20 having a straight end 2!. Since the elastic laying-in thread is not continued into the tapered end portion 28, the cutting away of the selvages along the sides of the end portion 29 does not interfere in any way with the action of the laying-in thread since it is confined to the uppe Por ons of the panel IS.

The knitting is carried out in such manner that, as indicated at 22, the fabric has a four-way stretch. In effect it is stretchable readily in all upper portion H being the least stretchable and it is more readily stretchable circumferentially than it is longitudinally, the major central portion I 3 being readily stretchable in all directions, and the tapered end portion 29 being more readily stretchable than the major central portion l3. Additionally the tapered end portion 20 is more readily stretchable transversely or parallel to the lower edge of the major central portion [3 than it is stretchable longitudinally. This makes for greater comfort in the crotch area as will be apparent readily.

In Figure 3 of the drawing it will be observed that the front panel [8, previously described, i joined to a rear panel, shown generally at 23, by being seamed thereto as indicated at 24. The rear panel 23 is identical in formation and manufacture to the front panel I8 except that it is slightly longer. It will be apparent that the front and rear panels l8 and 23 are seamed together along the straight ends 2| thereof.

In Figure 4 of the drawing it will be observed that leg bands 25 are seamed at 26 to the sides 19 of the tapered end portions 20. Preferably the leg bands 25 are readily stretchable circumferentially and are substantially nonstretchable transversely.

Now the ends 21 of the leg bands 25 are seamed together as indicated at 28 in Figure 6 and the selvages l are seamed together as indicated at 29. Also the minor upper portion H is turned over along the crease i2 and the extreme upper edges are seamed at 30 along the lower edges of the minor upper portions. This provides the bifurcated body moulding garment that is indicated, generally, at 3! in Figures 5, 6, and. 7.

Along the lower edges of the leg bands 25 loops 33 are secured to which garters 34 can be attached for supporting the stockings in conventional manner.

Since certain changes can be made in the foregoing construction and method, it is intended that all matters shown in the accompanying drawing and described hereinbefore shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed as new is:

1. Method of flat knitting fabric for making body moulding garments which comprises: knitting a relatively small portion of a panel with an elastic laying-in thread included therein, half cardigan knitting a substantial portion of the panel with said elastic laying-in thread continued and included therein, and rib knitting the remainder of the panel without the laying-in thread.

2. Method of flat knitting fabric for making body moulding garments which comprises: rib knitting a relatively small portion of a panel with an elastic laying-in thread included therein, half cardigan knitting a substantial portion of the panel with said elastic laying-in thread continued and included therein, rib knitting the remainder of the panel without the laying-in thread, and cutting the sides of the remainder of the panel generally on a bias to provide a tapered end portion.

3. Method of making a body moulding garment which comprises: rib knitting the upper minor portions of front and rear panels with an elastic laying-in thread included therein and providing selvages along the sides thereof, half cardigan knitting the major central portions of said panels with said elastic laying-in thread continued and included therein and providing selvages along the sides thereof, rib knitting the lower minor portions of said panels without the laying-in thread, cutting the sides of said lower minor portions on a bias and leaving straight ends, joining said straight ends, securing leg bands to the edges of said lower minor portions, and joining together the ends of said leg bands and the selvages of said upper minor portions and said major central portions of said panels to fashion a tubular bifurcated garment.

rib

together along their sides and at one end;

4. A body moulding garment of the panty girdle type having a crotch engaging part comprising one piece front and rear panels both having body engaging upper portions knitted with an elastic laying-in thread and the crotch engaging lower portions knitted without said elastic laying-in thread, each crotch engaging lower portion constituting an unseamed extension of the corresponding body engaging upper portion, said panels being readily stretchable in all directions and joined together along their sides and at one end, the sides of said crotch engaging lower portions extending generally on a bias from the lower ends of said upper portions to the juncture between the ends of said lower portions, and leg bands joined to said sides of said crotch engaging lower portions.

5. A body moulding garment of the panty girdle type having a crotch engaging part comprising one piece front and rear panels both having body engaging upper portions knitted with an elastic laying-in thread and the crotch engaging lower portions knitted without said elas tic laying-in thread, each crotch engaging lower portion constituting an unseamed extension of the corresponding body engaging upper portion, said panels being joined together along their sides and at one end, the sides of said crotch engaging lower portions extending generally on a bias from the lower ends of said upper portions to the juncture between the ends of said lower portions, and leg bands joined to said sides of said crotch engaging lower portions.

6. A body moulding garment of the panty girdle type having a crotch engaging part comprising one piece front and rear panels both having body engaging upper portions knitted with an elastic laying-in thread and the crotch engaging lower portions knitted without said elastic laying-in thread, each crotch engaging lower portion constituting an unseamed extension of the corresponding body engaging upper portion, said panels being readily stretchable in all directions and joined together along their sides and at one end, the sides of said crotch engaging lower portions extending generally on a bias from the lower ends of said upper portions to the juncture between the ends of said lower portions, and leg bands joined to said sides of said crotch engaging lower portions, said leg bands being readily stretchable circumferentially and substantially nonstretchable transversely.

'7. A body moulding garment of the panty girdle type having a crotch engaging part comprising one piece front and rear panels both having body engaging upper portions and crotch engaging lower portions, said panels being joined together along their sides and at one end; at least one of said panels having a relatively small rib knit upper portion with an elastic laying-in thread, the major central portion half cardigan knit with said elastic laying-in thread therein, and the crotch portion rib knit without said elastic laying-in thread; the sides of said crotch engaging lower portions extending generally on a bias from the lower ends of said upper portions to the juncture between the ends of said lower portions, and leg bands joined to said sides of said crotch engaging lower portions.

8. A body moulding garment of the panty girdle type having a crotch engaging part comprising one piece front and rear panels both having body engaging upper portions and crotch engaging lower portions, said panels being joined each of said panels having a relatively small rib knit upper portion with an elastic laying-in thread, the major central portion half cardigan knit with said elastic laying-in thread therein, and the crotch portion rib knit without said elastic laying-in thread; the sides of said crotch engaging lower portions extending generally on a bias from the lower ends of said upper portions to the juncture between the ends of said lower por- Number 5 Re. 20,785 357,068 2,074,119 2,130,906 2,220,277

tions, and leg bands joined to said sides of said 10 2519534 crotch engaging lower portions.

Number Name Date Kattermann July 5, 1938 Dalby Feb. 1, 188 7 Boysen et a1. Mar. 6, 1937 Scherfer Sept. 20, 1938 Ralston Nov. 5, 1940 Artzt Aug. 22, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Oct. 12, 1933 

